1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electric powered windows for vehicles and more particularly pertains to a new vehicular electric window safety switch for stopping the closing of an electric powered window of a vehicle when an obstruction, such as a finger or a hand, is detected between the glass of the window and the window frame.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of electric powered windows for vehicles is known in the prior art. More specifically, electric powered windows for vehicles heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art electric powered windows for vehicles include U.S. Pat. No. 5,621,290; U.S. Pat. No. 5,285,136; U.S. Pat. No. 5,081,406; U.S. Pat. No. 5,164,709; U.S. Pat. No. 1,691,729; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,018,851.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new vehicular electric window safety switch. The inventive device includes an elongate member having a base portion, and a lip portion. The base portion has opposite first and second sides and is resiliently compressible between the first and second sides of the base portion. The lip portion is extended from the first side of the base portion. The elongate member is designed for attachment to a window frame of a electric powered window such that the lip portion and the first side of the base portion are adapted for abutting against the window frame of the electric powered window. The base portion has an interior space extending between the ends of the elongate member. A pair of elongate electrically conductive strips are provided in the interior space of the base portion. The strips are spaced apart from one another. Each of the strips is adapted for electrical connection to the control mechanism of an electric powered window. In use, closing of an electric powered window is stopped when the first and second sides of the base portion are compressed together such that the strips in the interior space of the base portion come into contact with each other.
In these respects, the vehicular electric window safety switch according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of stopping the closing of an electric powered window of a vehicle when an obstruction, such as a finger or a hand, is detected between the glass of the window and the window frame.